Biography
1975: Stanko Kristic, naturalised French, of Serbian origin, decides to leave his native Yugoslavia and heads to Paris.
His professional experience, especially in the building trade, quickly brings him work with interior designers. He is commissioned to produce decorative sculptures and these gradually lead him to experiment with purely artistic creations. In his free time, he carves fireplaces and then a series of vases which are exhibited in the Faubourg Saint Honoré in Paris by the fashion jewellery house Kalenger.
1987: He officially adopts the status of artist and his Paris studio gradually fills with unusual pieces of work which are directly (though unconsciously)
inspired by Greek drama and mythology. His early works are exhibited at the "Les Bâches" gallery in the rue Léon Frot. An American art-lover, captivated by the power of his creations, encourages his work and he is featured on several television programmes.
1994: On a trip to south-west France, he discovers the medieval village of Cordes-sur-Ciel and decides to move there permanently.
Whilst continuing to produce work at a frenetic pace, Stanko nevertheless refuses to conform to any particular style or label, and he accepts both public and private commissions. He begins making work on a monumental scale – a milestone in the artist's career – with pieces such as Les Ours au Ski (The Skiing Bears), for the town of Cauterets, which is adopted as the ski resort's mascot.
1998: At his studio in the garden of Cordes-sur-Ciel's Museum of Contemporary Art, he creates Danse avec Moi (Dance With Me).
He uses all kinds of materials, including plaster, cement, glass paste, marble, earthenware, ceramics, stained glass, paint, steel and stainless steel. He invents new techniques which enable him to create highly original works.
1999: A conference and exhibition "The mosaic sculpture of Stanko Kristic" is held at the Institut Universitaire de Formation des Maîtres in Paris's 17th arrondissement. The conference is organized by Professor Michel Spitz and moderated by Bertrand Tillier, PhD in art history at the Sorbonne.
2000: Film-maker Bernard Granier creates a short film ( 17mn ) entitled "Stanko Kristic, ces regards peuplés de mystères",
which is shown at the Limoges film-makers' convention and is selected for the festivals of Bourges and Grenoble.
With the birth of the 21st century, Stanko's work takes on new dimensions; he starts to create monumental sculptures for private clients, particularly on the theme of the horse.
2007: Birth of "Légende". Commissioned by Stanko's home town of Cordes-sur-Ciel, this unique sculpture, standing 4m high,
welcomes visitors to the town. It contains a series of symbols and clues with which to decipher some of the treasures to be found there.
"Légende" was created in homage to the artists and other inhabitants of Cordes.
2010: "La Joie de Vivre", a huge prancing horse made of painted steel and standing 4.50m high, is acquired by the city of Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire (Tours).
The sculpture is unveiled in the presence of the Prefect of Indre et Loire, The Mayor of Saint Cyr sur Loire, the Mayor of Tours, the deputy mayor for Cultural affairs and the Director of the Haras Nationaux de Blois.
"La Joie de Vivre" stands proudly at the centre of the Maréchal Leclerc roundabout, one of the main intersections in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire.
2012: A major event in Cordes-sur-Ciel as the "Comédie Mythologique" leaves Stanko Kristic's workshop for Cap d'Antibes.
This magnificent unicorn, fashioned from stainless steel and standing an impressive 6m high, is installed in the grounds of a private property whose owners commissioned the work from Stanko after his exhibition at Cagnes-sur-Mer.
2013: On the occasion of a major exhibition of Stanko's work at the Hotel Rochegude in Albi, art historian Paul Vires presented a scientific analysis of the artist's masks, emphasising in particular the magnificence and refinement of his work.
2014: The Mercedes concession of Aubière near Clermont-Ferrand acquires "a unicorn of 2M50"
2015, "One unicorn of 2M50" makes a sensation at the SALON D'AUTOMNE in Paris avenue des Champs Elysées.
He is a member of the TAYLOR's FOUNDATION.
2016 In the meantime, its fountain project takes shape, it will make about 7M all stainless steel and mosaic.
2017 Invité d'honneur Château de BUC (Versailles Grand Parc)- Several Exhibitions in Cordes sur Ciel (Tarn)
2018 Grand Palais à Paris à ART CAPITAL, Mairie du 7ème arr.PARIS, LUXEMBOURG Place d'Armes , LUXEMBOURG ART3F
Recipient of many prestigious awards, Stanko Kristic has a track record of numerous exhibitions, of which he is often the guest of honour: International Salons in Paris (including the Grand Palais), Cauterets, Hettange-Grande, Béziers, Brussels, Monte Carlo, Cagnes-sur-Mer, St Tropez, Monaco... Many newspapers have reported on his work and some of his creations have been acquired by VIPs: for example, "La Souveraine" is the property of HRH Princess Caroline of Monaco.
Because this extraordinary artist (as we like to think of him), feels the same joy whether he is making luminous masks or metal sculptures, on a human scale or to monumental proportions as dictated by his inspiration and unlimited creativity, this biography, whilst detailed and full of interest, cannot hope to reveal all the mysteries of the man and his work... But we hope it will provide you with clues to guide you in your admiration and/or criticism of what you find here.